Contract system before Asia Cup: BCCI

Mumbai:All the documentation needed for introducing the much-delayed contract system for players have been completed and all's set for the final signing of the players on the dotted line before the Indian team departs for the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka, a top Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) official said.

"All the documents are ready, from the Board's side as well as from the players'. The documentation is complete to the satisfaction of all. Now all that's left is the implementation of the scheme," BCCI joint secretary Ratnakar Shetty said in Mumbai on Saturday.

Shetty has been mediating between the top players and the BCCI for a couple of years on the issue. He said he had gone to Bangalore during the physical conditioning camp held there and met the players on Friday.

"Now the four-member committee of the BCCI, headed by the president has to meet and complete the gradation of players for fees before the players sign the documents for the scheme to come into operation," Shetty said.

"I am confident it will be implemented before the team departs for Sri Lanka. The president has made it clear that it has to be put in place before the team departs," he added.

As per the graded system of payment, the topmost players are to get Rs 60 lakh each annually as fees, the middle rung players are to receive Rs 30 lakh each and the rest would be bracketed in the Rs 15-lakh each category.